HIV/AIDS is a rapidly escalating problem among young black females around the globe. In the United States, African American women represent the group with the fastest growing infection rates of HIV/AIDS. Similarly, African females are experiencing disproportionately rates of mortality and morbidity due to HIV infections.

In spite of a growing global awareness of the problem, there is a paucity of studies testing culturally appropriate interventions for young black females. We will describe preliminary work testing two different interventions to improve sexual health for young (10-13 years) black girls in Africa and the US.

In the first intervention cultural beliefs and values were incorporated into an intervention aimed at developing cultural identity and group responsibility for sexual behaviors in African American girls. This culturally based intervention included music, affirmation, story telling, traditional cultural rituals as well as sexual health and body knowledge. Results indicated that group sessions were effective in increasing sexual knowledge, enhancing ethnic and gender identity, and fostering a positive sense of self.

In the second intervention, social norms and real life scenarios were used in an intervention aimed at developing abstinence behavior skills and intentions to postpone sexual behavior in urban, Cameroonian (Africa) school girls. The intervention included a discussion of general HIV prevention, assertive communication and refusal skills, and strategies to deal with threats of violence. Findings included significant increases in sexual abstinence behavior skills and intentions to postpone sexual activity following the intervention. .

Both interventions, which were designed by Africana nurse researchers, placed sexual health and nursing within a wider socio-cultural and global context. This preliminary work provides the foundation for subsequent studies that have the potential to decrease health disparities among females of African descent.

Full metadata record

An Examination of Two Culturally-Based Skills Building Interventions for HIV Prevention Among Black Girls

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dc.identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10755/161085

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dc.description.abstract

<table><tr><td colspan="2" class="item-title">An Examination of Two Culturally-Based Skills Building Interventions for HIV Prevention Among Black Girls</td></tr><tr class="item-sponsor"><td class="label">Conference Sponsor:</td><td class="value">Midwest Nursing Research Society</td></tr><tr class="item-year"><td class="label">Conference Year:</td><td class="value">2006</td></tr><tr class="item-author"><td class="label">Author:</td><td class="value">Enah, Comfort, PhD, MSN, RN</td></tr><tr class="item-institute"><td class="label">P.I. Institution Name:</td><td class="value">University of Cincinnati</td></tr><tr class="item-author-title"><td class="label">Title:</td><td class="value">Assistant Professor</td></tr><tr class="item-address"><td class="label">Contact Address:</td><td class="value">Nursing Research Division, 3110 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45221, USA</td></tr><tr class="item-phone"><td class="label">Contact Telephone:</td><td class="value">513-558 5236</td></tr><tr class="item-email"><td class="label">Email:</td><td class="value">Enahcc@uc.edu</td></tr><tr class="item-co-authors"><td class="label">Co-Authors:</td><td class="value">Donna Z. Shambley-Ebron, PhD, MSN, BSN, Assistant Professor</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="item-abstract">HIV/AIDS is a rapidly escalating problem among young black females around the globe. In the United States, African American women represent the group with the fastest growing infection rates of HIV/AIDS. Similarly, African females are experiencing disproportionately rates of mortality and morbidity due to HIV infections.<br/><br/>In spite of a growing global awareness of the problem, there is a paucity of studies testing culturally appropriate interventions for young black females. We will describe preliminary work testing two different interventions to improve sexual health for young (10-13 years) black girls in Africa and the US. <br/><br/>In the first intervention cultural beliefs and values were incorporated into an intervention aimed at developing cultural identity and group responsibility for sexual behaviors in African American girls. This culturally based intervention included music, affirmation, story telling, traditional cultural rituals as well as sexual health and body knowledge. Results indicated that group sessions were effective in increasing sexual knowledge, enhancing ethnic and gender identity, and fostering a positive sense of self.<br/><br/>In the second intervention, social norms and real life scenarios were used in an intervention aimed at developing abstinence behavior skills and intentions to postpone sexual behavior in urban, Cameroonian (Africa) school girls. The intervention included a discussion of general HIV prevention, assertive communication and refusal skills, and strategies to deal with threats of violence. Findings included significant increases in sexual abstinence behavior skills and intentions to postpone sexual activity following the intervention. .<br/><br/>Both interventions, which were designed by Africana nurse researchers, placed sexual health and nursing within a wider socio-cultural and global context. This preliminary work provides the foundation for subsequent studies that have the potential to decrease health disparities among females of African descent. <br/><br/></td></tr></table>

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dc.date.available

2011-10-26T23:15:39Z

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dc.date.issued

2011-10-17

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dc.date.accessioned

2011-10-26T23:15:39Z

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dc.description.sponsorship

Midwest Nursing Research Society

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